Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Magnetic stirrers ONLY?

CRUSTY - 13-7-2016 at 13:55

I've been looking into hotplates/magnetic stirrers, and because of the high prices of some of them, I was wondering if anyone here knows if there are any apparatuses that are, instead of the usual hotplate/stirrer combo, only magnetic stirrers. I'm mostly wondering about this just for the purpose of cost-reduction and simplicity.

Jstuyfzand - 13-7-2016 at 14:22

You could problably make one yourself using a fan and some magnets.

Without the heating part a magnetic stirrer is very easy to make!

Metacelsus - 13-7-2016 at 14:53

Yes, there are; we have a few at my university lab.

j_sum1 - 13-7-2016 at 15:16

Well, my magnetic stirrer is a computer fan with two neodymium magnets glued on and attached to an old cellphone charger.

However, I just purchased a pile of stuff from a guy decommissioning his home lab. (Aged-care homes do not allow such things. Kind of a sad story I think.) Amongst the haul was a magnetic stirrer without hotplate. It will get used I am sure but will eventually get replaced with a hotplate stirrer. In other words, having a stirrer only is really an interim measure and something I would not deliberately choose.

If you search for stirrers on eBay you do have to be careful since a lot of what comes up are stirrers only. If you are after a hotplate then you need to be certain that you are getting what you want. Stirrers only are definitely available.

NedsHead - 13-7-2016 at 16:00

I'm interested to see some pics of what you scored J

j_sum1 - 13-7-2016 at 16:43

Don'y worry. I will send you some pix. But you will need top wait a few weeks. I have just shifted house and those will not be the first boxes to be unpacked.

In brief,
An assortment of basic glassware -- erlenmeyers and measuring cylinders mostly
A drying oven
A stirrer
Retort stand and clamps (nice)
A lot of near empty bottles of solutions
A lot of commercially-prepared buffer solutions at different pH
An assortment of basic inorganic chems with some occasional goodies -- such as Hg, silver nitrate
Some unlabelled chems. Not sure what to do with those.

Dr.Bob - 13-7-2016 at 17:13

Yes, we mostly use stirrers only at work, as most of the heating is done with mantles or oil baths. I like the flexibility of having heat available, but if one or two do that, the rest can be stirrers only.

I have a few used magnetic stirrers only, as well as a few combo units with the heat part not working, so you can get them much cheaper than stirring hotplates.

Used Stir & Hot Plates at Elemental Scientific

tomholm - 15-7-2016 at 18:18

We happen to have a few stir plates and stirring hot plates in stock. Check them out here.

Arg0nAddict - 17-7-2016 at 17:49

I got super lucky a few weeks ago and using the app offerup which is for local sales I found a guy selling a basically new looking CORNING, PC-520 which has a 10 x 10 top with a newer element manual said over 400°C and then mag stir works great for only $60. He tossed in a 12v overhead Stirrer but it has no power supply

C65VZN4m.jpg - 11kB

j_sum1 - 17-7-2016 at 18:03

Well, a 12V supply can't be too difficult to come by.
Congrats on a nice hotplate-stirrer. Good price.

Arg0nAddict - 17-7-2016 at 20:59

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
Well, a 12V supply can't be too difficult to come by.
Congrats on a nice hotplate-stirrer. Good price.

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Right super easy but I want to find one with a built in variable speed and id like the rpm displayed
Also going to get digital temp and rpm on the corning too if its possible. it got to be, maybe not digital heat control but at least a thermo. Ill have to cruise the search area to see if anyone's done it
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OP
<p>$50 MagStir on Amazon!!!

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[Edited on 18-7-2016 by Arg0nAddict]

subsecret - 18-7-2016 at 20:27

You're so much better off just biting the bullet and getting a used hotplate/stirrer combo, considering that you'd eventually have to build/buy a heat source if you wanted to heat and stir at the same time. Organic or inorganic (mostly organic though), you'll eventually need to heat and stir at the same time.

I managed to find a Corning PC420D for 75 bucks. It's been amazing ever since and I use it more than my heating mantle.